The proposed changes to restore pension and disability benefits were designed to help the police department retain officers and boost recruiting.

The union said the city wants to delay the process and even brought up the idea of putting the issue to voters in 2016. Union leaders said the recent spike in violent crime show the city cannot wait.

"These 48 hours, where we had major crime scenes, major violence incidents wiped us out," Kelly said. "The calls for service aren't being answered. They are sitting in a box and there is no cop to respond to them."

The current battle between San Jose city leaders and police started over cuts made by voter-approved Measure B, which led to a mass exodus of officers. The police department is currently stretched to its limit, with several high-profile cases and numerous investigations going on.

In addition, the department is in the midst of investigating two officer-involved shootings and a violent attempted car jacking. Many said the recent crime spike has pushed the department to a breaking point.

City Manager Norberto Duenas declined to discuss details about negotiations, but emphasized talks are still on.